About

Lou Steiger

Dance, Nature and Psychology

“Rhythm is not something humans invented - it exists in nature. Patterns, frequencies, and movement can be observed across living systems. Human dance builds on this by combining rhythm, movement, and perception in a uniquely complex way. Movement is energy, and dance is a form of movement that integrates music with physical expression. For me, dancing creates a sense of connection to myself, to others, and to the environment. It can be grounding, bringing attention to the present moment and allowing the mind to let go.

Research suggests that dance is associated with a range of positive effects on mental, physical, and cognitive health. Studies have shown improvements in mood, reductions in anxiety and depression, and enhanced well-being through dance interventions (Koch et al., 2019; Quiroga Murcia et al., 2010). Dance has also been linked to improved cognitive function, memory, and neuroplasticity, as it combines physical movement with coordination, rhythm, and learning (Karpati et al., 2015; Teixeira-Machado et al., 2019). In addition, the social nature of partner dance can strengthen connection, communication, and a sense of belonging. These are factors that are particularly relevant in times of increasing loneliness (Tarr et al., 2015; Quiroga Murcia et al., 2010).

While further research is needed, current findings consistently highlight dance as a holistic practice with meaningful benefits for both individual well-being and social connection.”

- Lou (Dancer, Bachata Instructor, Event Organizer and Psychology Student M.Sc.)

Early years

Lou started dancing at the age of 4, beginning with ballet and later exploring Hip-Hop. During her teenage years, she was often found in clubs, dancing for hours and completely immersed in the music. The joy she experienced through movement, expressing herself freely and connecting to rhythm, felt unlike any other physical activity she had known. She spent countless hours in front of the mirror, trying to recreate the moves she saw in music videos by artists like Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Sean Paul, and Shakira. She never imagined that one day, she would become a dance instructor herself.

Spanish language, Latin America and the Caribbean

Lou’s connection to Bachata is rooted in a long-standing curiosity for Spanish-speaking cultures and the diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean. At a young age, she began learning Spanish, which later became a gateway to deeper cultural experiences.

In 2012, she spent several months living in Argentina. Two years later, she studied German-Hispanic Studies at the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. In 2015, she traveled to the Dominican Republic, where she lived with a local family in San Juan. It was there that she first encountered Bachata in its social and cultural context, and fell in love with both the dance and partner work.

Since then, Lou has continued to travel throughout the Americas, including Mexico, Ecuador, and Barbados. Through these experiences, she has been exposed to a wide range of rhythms, languages, instruments, dances, and traditions. This diversity continues to shape her understanding of dance - not as a fixed style, but as a living cultural practice that cannot be reduced to a single definition.

Lou's first encounter with Bachata - Dominican Republic

After spending several months in Argentina and later in Spain, Bachata entered Lou’s life in 2015. This marked the beginning of a journey that would shape her path in unexpected ways. She traveled to the Dominican Republic and stayed with a local family in San Juan, who introduced her to Bachata and Merengue in their everyday social context. What stood out to her was not only the music and the dance itself, but the atmosphere in which it was shared: people coming together casually, dancing, laughing, and enjoying the moment, wether it was in bars, at family gathering, at "colmados", in the "guaguas" or at the beach. It was Lou's first encounter with a dance as a lived, social practice rather than a structured class - and it left a lasting impression. Back in Germany, she signed up for her first Bachata class. From that moment on, she began training consistently, often practicing several hours daily at home. What started as a personal interest quickly developed into a serious commitment, eventually leading her and her partner at the time to complete several teacher training programs and pursue a professional path as dance instructors. What she wasn't aware of at the time was that the Bachata widely taught and danced in Europe reflected a different interpretation - one that felt quite distant from what she had experienced in the Dominican Republic.

The Bachata Sensual Style era of "Jorge & Lou"

After moving to Tübingen for her studies, Lou and her former partner began teaching Bachata classes at Tanzschule Salsamara in 2017. What started as a small course with six couples grew into a community of more than 130 students.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, Jorge & Lou became a well-known Bachata Sensual Style instructor couple in Germany, teaching at festivals and events across Europe, as well as internationally in Quito (Ecuador) and Monterrey (Mexico).

During this time, Lou was deeply immersed in the Bachata Sensual Style. While it shaped her path as a teacher, she gradually felt a growing distance from the social, music-driven experience she had first encountered in the Dominican Republic. At the same time, she became more aware of critical perspectives, especially from Dominican dancers, regarding the development of Bachata outside of its original context.

In the later years of working together, Lou began to reconnect with the elements that had first inspired her. A turning point was her encounter with Bhavin & Soonruta, a "Dominican" Bachata instructor couple from India, which resonated deeply with her. In 2020 she started a collaboration with them, introducing a different style of Bachata to the community in Tübingen. This was the Bachata style she had originally admired so much.

In 2021, Jorge & Lou ended their joint dance projects, marking the beginning of a new phase in her journey.

Lou's solo projects - Role-Rotation and Gender Equality

Following the end of her work with Jorge in 2021, Lou continued teaching as a solo instructor in Tübingen while also launching new courses in Stuttgart. Building on her growing reflection on dance roles and dynamics, she started questioning the gender-typical partner dance framework. As she was trying to find an answer to how she could continue to teach partner work without a (male) partner Lou found out about Role Rotation - a concept widely spread and mastered by Felipe & Tiago. Lou invited Felipe & Tiago to Stuttgart in 2022 and 2023 to introduce their approach to the German Bachata community. They became important mentors during this phase of her journey.

As the first solo female Bachata instructor in Germany - and among the early adopters in Europe - to introduce Role Rotation methodology in regular Bachata classes, Lou began teaching all genders both leading and following on a weekly basis. Teaching without a partner, she initially struggled to develop confidence in her own leading after many years of dancing primarily as a follower. Over time, normalizing both roles in Bachata became one of her most meaningful achievements.

Alongside her work as an instructor, Lou engaged more deeply in feminist perspectives on dance culture, including critical reflections on objectification and gender dynamics within parts of the Bachata Sensual scene. Through her teaching and event series Role Rotation, she has contributed to shaping a more respectful and empathetic dance environment within the Stuttgart community.

Different Bachata Styles and Certificates

Lou’s professional training initially focused on Bachata Sensual Style, a modern interpretation of Bachata that blends various dance influences and has been widely developed in Spain. In this style, she completed two certifications in 2017 and 2018 under the guidance of Korke & Judith from Cádiz in Barcelona (Spain). While she appreciates the fluid aesthetics of Bachata Sensual Style, her experience also highlighted its technical and structural challenges, particularly for beginners and followers.

As her perspective evolved, Lou gradually shifted her focus back toward "Traditional/Dominican" Bachata - or just Bachata, as the Dominicans call it. This shift and distinction was reflected in her event concepts, including The Roots of Bachata and The Sensual Experience. In 2023 and 2024, she completed further teacher training programs in "Traditional" Bachata, certified by Bhavin & Soonruta in Cologne (Germany) and Argenis & Carolina in Barcelona (Spain).

Bachata Stuttgart since 2022 until today

Today, Lou is known for teaching multiple Bachata styles and for integrating Role Rotation into her classes. Alongside regular classes and workshops in Germany and internationally, including Spain, Switzerland, France, Mexico, and Barbados, she has built a local Bachata community in Stuttgart through her teaching and events. She has organized numerous Bachata events in Stuttgart, collaborating with internationally recognized artists such as Felipe & Tiago, Argenis & Carolina, Bhavin & Soonruta, Samy el Mágico, Issam & Charlott, Cristian & Gabriella, Anna baila, and Ozkar Hernandez, among others.

Her social dance event Noche de Bachata has become a meeting point for dancers from Stuttgart and beyond. It offers a welcoming space that emphasizes connection, inclusivity, and social interaction. Modern, as well as "Traditional" Bachata are represented in both music and dance, while participants are encouraged to explore Role Rotation. DJ Yas, a Dominican DJ with whom Lou has been working with since 2017, and DJ Prachi, a female Bachata event organizer and DJ from India, based in Karlsruhe, have collaborated closely to provide high quality music at Lou's events throughout the years.

Lou’s personal Bachata style reflects her journey: since 2024 Lou has moved away from Sensual Bachata Style. Her Bachata style has changed toward a more Dominican-inspired style, emphasizing hip movements, playfulness and connection. Combined with the Role Rotation methodology, Lou's work has shaped Bachata Stuttgart into a dance school known for its distinctive, inclusive, and culturally aware approach.